Srinagar, September 4: Three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists gunned down in a joint operation by Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Shangergund area in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces have recovered two AK-47 and one INSAS Rifle from the encounter site.

The killed militants have been identified as Naeem, belonging to Sopore and Aashiq, belonging to Pattan, from the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants, the security forces had launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) there, which is still underway.

On Sunday, the armed forces gunned down a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist, involved in the killing of Lt Umar Fayaz in May, in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. A joint team of the police and Army laid a trap for Ishfaq Ahmad Padder in Tantray Pora village. Padder was shot dead after he opened fire in a bid to escape the trap.

Padder was also involved in a number of robberies at the J-K Bank and Ellaquai Dehati Bank, besides a firing incident at the Yaripora police station.